General Information

Serial #

N/A

Part Number

1

Total Parts

3

AKA

N/A

Patents

N/A

General Description

.1 BRASS METAL CASING; GLASS OPTICS AND TUBE LEVEL VIAL..2 BRASS EYEPIECE..3 LEATHER CASE HAS METAL BUCKLE CLOSURE.

Dimensions

Note: These reflect the general size for storage and are not necessarily representative of the object's true dimensions.

Length

13.5 cm

Width

2.4 cm

Height

5.6 cm

Thickness

N/A

Weight

N/A

Diameter

N/A

Volume

N/A

Lexicon

Group

Exploration and Survey

Category

Measurement-distance

Sub-Category

N/A

Manufacturer

AKA

FOSTER

Country

Canada

State/Province

Ontario

City

Toronto

Context

Country

Canada

State/Province

Unknown

Period

THIS INSTRUMENT MAY HAVE BEEN USED C. 1880S-1900.

Canada

MARCUS SMITH WAS BORN IN NORTHUMBRIA, ENGLAND IN 1831 AND WORKED IN THE CONSTRUCTION AND SURVEY OF EARLY BRITISHRAILWAYS. HE EMIGRATED TO CANADA IN 1849 AND WORKED ON THE GREAT WESTERN AND NIAGARA & DETROIT RIVER RAILWAY (UNTIL 1860) AND INTERCOLONIAL RAILWAY (RESTIGOUCHE NB DISTRICT) (1868-72); FROM 1872-86 SMITH WORKED FOR THE CANADIAN PACIFIC RAILWAY, ANS WAS ACTING ENGINEER-IN-CHIEF DURING THE ABSENCE OF SIR SANFORD FLEMING (1876-78). HIS LAST POST WAS AS A CONSULTING ENGINEER TO THE CANADIAN GOVERNMENT (1886-92). MARCUS SMITH DIED IN 1901. (REF. 1)

Function

USED TO DETERMINE HEIGHT.

Technical

ABNEY LEVEL MFD. BY JAMES FOSTER IN TORONTO. ONT.. FOSTER WAS PROBABLY THE LONGEST WORKING INDEPENDANT MFR. OF SCIENTIFIC INSTRUMENTS OPERATING IN CENTRAL CANADA BEFORE 1900: HIS BUSINESS OPERATED C. 1870-1910. (REF.3) ABNEY LEVEL WAS ENGLISH MODIFICATION OF HAND LEVEL, COMBINING IT WITH A DIVIDED ARC. (REF.2)

Area Notes

Unknown

Details

Markings

.1 "J. FOSTER/ Toronto" incised on body, near eyepiece. Arc divided 60-0-60 at 1 minute intervals on outer edge; slope scale divided 1 to 1 through to 10..2-.3 No markings visible.

Missing

INSTRUMENT IS COMPLETE. .3 CASE STRAP AND CLOSURE ARE DAMAGED; PORTIONS OF BOTH ARE MISSING.

Finish

.1 BRIGHT BRASS FINISH ON ARC AND ADJUSTMENT KNOB. CLEAR GLASS TUBE LEVEL VIAL. OTHER AREAS OF.1 &.2 HAVE DARKENED FINISH..3 BROWN LEATHER CASE & STRAP.

Decoration

N/A